It’s tucked away on one of the less salubrious blocks in Chinatown, a neighbourhood struggling to maintain its vibrancy in the face of the city’s shifting demographics. The Nguyen family from Saigon opened the place around a year ago and are pulling out all the stops to survive in a tough game. Here’s hoping.

Noon on a frigid late January day found the front door locked, a bit of a shock considering its stated 11 a.m. opening time. Quickly, a woman appeared and ushered us inside, if with a pointed question. “Do you know we are vegetarian?”

We did, if now duly forewarned. And we could only imagine the depressing little dramas that must have unfolded as unsuspecting Canuck patrons sputtered rage over the discovery that the “chicken,” “beef,” “shrimp” etc., in their spring rolls and pho were plant-based, not feedlot friends.

Well, it’s their loss. “Real” mystery meat is only steps away. Anyway, as in the case of the best vegan, vegetarian, even seriously veggie-friendly spots, of which Edmonton sadly possesses all-too-few, it’s simply about the plates in front of you. The dishes are either delicious or not. Veggie Garden has it going on in that regard and I’ll wager even the most carnivorous, rocked-ribbed Albertans among us will walk away impressed, assuming they fancy Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, as any lucid biped should. Well, OK, hopefully.

There are a few caveats here. Alas, for me and those of my dubious ilk, there is no alcohol available. And Veggie Garden isn’t just messing when it proclaims its family-friendly essence. On our day, the little kids of la famille Nguyen were well in attendance, including a protracted crying rant from the same tiny little shaver who minutes before was happily warbling “eggrolleggrolleggroll” as he danced around the Lego. If this puts you off, well, what can I say?

The decor is classic modern sparse Viet-Chinois, although absolutely spotless (including the loos), with a comfy row of booths set along the north wall. The service was absolutely charming and efficient throughout. These are the kind of people you want to spend your money with.

We began with mixed shredded potato and jicama rolls ($4.99), which turned out to be likely the finest salad rolls we’ve had in town, expertly prepared with a lovely crunch inside and a far better than standard peanut dipping sauce.

Along the line, served up with dispatch, we opted for Udon with tofu, mushrooms, veggie chicken, shrimp and ham ($6.99), stir-fried veggie chicken with yellow curry and coconut milk on vermicelli ($6.99), hot and salty crispy tofu ($4.99) and stir-fried mixed vegetables with veggie chicken and sliced almonds ($6.99).

We liked them all, although next time the nod would go to the offered salty and crispy shiitake instead of the puffy tofu. And there may be those who judged the curry vermicelli bowl a tad on the thick and viscous side compared with the usual Viet faves. Veggie meat/fish technology, let it be said, has improved exponentially from the gloppy days of yore. Presentation was basic with the exception of the prettily arranged mixed veg platter.

We barely scratched the menu, with many more temptations available for the next time in a variety of categories we didn’t touch. There will be a next time for sure. Run to Veggie Garden and tell your friends. If you’ve got nine of them (I’m a bit short) you could phone in advance and get a 10-course meal for 10 for $129.99!

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Dining Out: Load up on veggies and a bargain dinner in Edmonton’s Chinatown

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